妮妮一岁那年圣诞节，妮妮爹妈带妮妮去Burlington Mall。那里的节日气氛好，圣诞老人面前等着和他拍照的孩子排了长长一队。妮妮爹说妮妮和圣诞老人合个影吧。妮妮摇头。妮妮爹再说合一个吧。妮妮再摇头。妮妮爹抱起妮妮去排队，妮妮哇哇大哭。妮妮妈说妮妮肯定是害怕圣诞老人那把大白胡子。妮妮爹想，太遗憾了，妮妮与圣诞老人无缘了。

妮妮两岁那年圣诞节，朋友一家来过圣诞夜，第二天早晨大家一起开礼物。朋友那时还没有孩子，所以给妮妮买了很多礼物。大家就说这是圣诞老人送给妮妮的。妮妮看上去一头雾水，肯定纳闷儿，明明你们给我的，跟圣诞老人不搭界呀？

或者，妮妮根本什么都没想，礼物重要，管他谁给的。反正妮妮什么也没说。

以后的每年圣诞节前，妮妮爹妈都会问妮妮希望圣诞老人送个什么礼物。妮妮也开始好奇，问圣诞老人怎么从烟囱进来，怎么出去。妮妮对圣诞老人越来越认真了。

妮妮小学二年级那年，对圣诞老人非常期待，希望得到一个iPod。妮妮请求妮妮妈给圣诞老人做一些ginger bread。妮妮很少提要求，所以妮妮妈痛快答应了。那天妮妮妈请假回家，从文学城私房小菜里找来制作方法，带着妮妮在厨房忙了一下午。傍晚终于从烤箱里把烘得漂漂亮亮的ginger bread 端出来：精美的小猫形状（因为妮妮喜欢猫），金黄色。妮妮妈很吃惊私房小菜的菜谱儿还挺灵，妮妮美得笑成了一朵花儿。稍微晾凉了一会儿，妮妮妈尝了一口，咸的！然后哈哈大笑起来。妮妮不信，尝了一口，咸的!! 然后泪水哗哗流下来。妮妮妈说没关系，圣诞老人不在乎。可妮妮在乎，坚持重新再做一遍。妮妮妈感动了。好，重做。妮妮和妮妮妈忙到深夜，终于又做好一盘。甜的。但是由于原料不足，制作仓促，外观不如那批咸的猫完美。

圣诞夜，妮妮在圣诞树边上放了一把折叠小桌，把甜的ginger bread 摆满整整一大盘，小心翼翼放在小桌上，旁边放上一杯牛奶。另一个小盘里，放了三个咸的但非常好看的猫形Ginger bread。小桌旁边地上摆着一个电动圣诞老人玩具，两尺高，一按开关圣诞老人便载歌载舞。妮妮爹说这看着象是圣诞老人的孙子，妮妮妈瞪了妮妮爹一眼。妮妮睡着后，妮妮爹妈赶紧在圣诞树下把礼物精心摆好。这时妮妮爹妈看见小桌上还有妮妮写的三张便条。

第一张：

Santa,

Thank you for all the presents. I hope I get an iPod.

Love

Dad, Mom, and Jenny

第二张：

Dear Santa,

DO NOT EAT CAT

Love,

Jenny

P.S. Because it is supposed to be a toy. Love, Jenny

第三张是一个说明，告诉圣诞老人怎样玩儿小桌边上的电动圣诞老人：

To make this go on and off, you have to push the thing.

这行字下面是一个玩具开关的示意图，标明Off, Just Dance, Dance and Sing共三档; 并注明what it looks like(此处有一个箭头指向开关); 旁边说明you can move it left (关), middle（跳舞）, or right（连跳带唱）。

妮妮爹妈看见妮妮写给圣诞老人的留言，窃笑之余，心里暖暖的。妮妮爹妈把便条和ginger bread 和牛奶拿开，留下一封以圣诞老人名义写给妮妮的信，告诉妮妮Ginger bread很好吃，并夸耀妮妮是好孩子，爱爹妈，爱朋友，爱动物。送给妮妮一个iPod，希望妮妮喜欢。HoHoHo!

早晨起来，妮妮直奔圣诞树，大呼圣诞老人来过了！妮妮认真读圣诞老人的信，眼睛笑成一条线，然后一一打开礼物，然后美滋滋地拿着iPod跑开了。

还有什么能让人比看到孩子高兴更幸福呢？

妮妮对圣诞老人的期待一直延续到初中。妮妮爹纳闷儿，有一天就问妮妮，小朋友们都相信圣诞老人吗？妮妮说，很多人不信，但是妮妮信。妮妮爹问为什么。妮妮说，因为圣诞老人公平，爱每一个孩子。

妮妮爹恍然大悟。孩子们期待圣诞老人，不仅仅是期待圣诞老人的礼物，更是期待那些礼物承载的爱，无条件的爱。给天下每一个孩子的爱。从此以后，每年圣诞节，节日喜庆的感觉之外，妮妮爹心里还洋溢着温暖和感动。每当听到Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer都会湿了眼睛。

妮妮的话让妮妮爹妈想起辉瑞关闭妮妮爹妈所在研发机构时那些苦涩的日子。那年妮妮小学一年级。有一天妮妮爹妈讨论所申请工作的地点，随口问妮妮想住在哪儿。妮妮说北极。妮妮爹妈诧异，问为什么。妮妮说因为圣诞老人住在那里。妮妮爹妈问如果去不了北极，还想住哪里。妮妮说第二选择夏威夷，因为Britney Spears  住那儿；第三选择佛罗里达，因为迪斯尼在那儿。妮妮爹妈笑了，圣诞老人在妮妮心中的地位高于一切，是妮妮最大的欢乐。在所有苦涩的日子里，妮妮是爹妈最大的欢乐。

每个圣诞节圣诞老人都会给妮妮写一封信。最后一封信写于2008年，妮妮12岁：

December 25, 2008

Dear Jenny,

I am glad to visit your home again. I am so happy that you are growing up fast: taller, smarter, sweeter, studying harder, loving and being loved more, making more friends, and helping others more. You are becoming more independent and taking more responsibilities in your study and daily life, and trying your best for everyone and everything. It’s always a great feeling to see that your parents love you and are proud of you as much as you do.

Continue your good work. Be healthy. Let your big heart and love ever grow. And most importantly, be happy as you always are. I will always be proud of you.

I know you want a new cell phone with all the fun features. I do not have one with me, so I am leaving you some cash so you can get one that you like. If this is not enough, I am sure you can make up the difference. You are a big girl now.

I will come to visit you next year. Till then, enjoy the holidays and have a wonderful 2009!

Love,

Santa

Ho! Ho! Ho!